Real Opel Classics at the ADAC Oldtimer Tour Hessen-Thüringen

• Open-air experience: through the Rheingau and Taunus in the red Opel Rekord C Cabrio
• Sports stars: Sleek Opel GT, Kadett GT/E and Manta GSi at the start in Oberursel
• State-bearing: Opel Diplomat V8 plus Kadett GSi from former Chancellor Schmidt
• State-of-the-art: ADAC organization team on the move in the new Opel Astra plug-in hybrid

Opel Kadett C GT/E

Summer, sun, classic rally: After two years of "Corona pit stops", ADAC Oldtimer Tour Hessen-Thüringen starts again from June 16th to 19th . And for the anniversary of “160 years of Opel”the brand with the lightning bolt comes up with a strong group of automotive classics. Real sports stars from the Opel GT and the Kadett GT/E to the Manta GSi are at the start, as are state-of-the-art models such as the Opel Diplomat V8 and the Kadett GSi, which former Chancellor Schmidt drove in his free time. Shortly before the start of summer, of course, a timelessly beautiful open-air classic should not be missing: the Opel Rekord C Cabrio will attract many admiring glances at the side of the track - just like the latest addition to the Opel family. ADAC organization team is on the road at the vintage car rally in a completely new Astra plug-in hybrid , showing how driving fun can be combined with a sense of responsibility in a state-of-the-art and elegant way.

Opel Astra Hybrid and Opel Kadett GSi 

Rüsselsheim rally stars of the ADAC Hessen-Thüringen 2022 at a glance:

• Opel Rekord C Cabrio, built in 1967, 55 kW/75 hp
• Opel GT, 1968, 66 kW / 90 hp
• Opel Diplomat V8, 1975, 169 kW / 230 hp
• Opel Kadett GT / E, 1977, 85 kW / 115 hp
• Opel Manta GSi Exclusiv, 1988, 81 kW / 110 hp
• Opel Kadett GSi, 1991, 85 kW / 115 hp
• Opel Astra Hybrid, 2022, 133 kW/180 hp system performance (as organization vehicle)

Timelessly beautiful: Opel classics from four decades in the Rheingau and Taunus

Field of participants in the 2022 edition of the ADAC Hessen-Thüringen starts on both days of the rally in Oberursel. On the first stage on Friday, June 17th, the riders will go through the beautiful Rheingau; on Saturday, vintage car drivers will circle their automobile treasures via Wetzlar and Butzbach through the Taunus and Wetterau back to Bad Homburg. Skill is required instead of "lead foot", because the routes are peppered with special tests.

Opel Rekord C Cabriolet

Opel Rekord C Cabriolet is perfect for cruising along the scenic roads - and at the same time represents a real rarity. Because the bright red convertible didn't just roll off the assembly line in 1967, it was specially modified by the traditional Cologne-based coachbuilder Karl Deutsch for open-air fans. Cheapest basis in the form of a two-door Rekord C cost 7,590 marks at the time, the conversion costs another 4,000 marks. Exclusive creations of the Deutsch company remain beautiful, special and rare – only around 50 of these elegant convertibles are built.

Opel GT, Kadett GT/E and Manta GSi provide a sporty, fast flair at the classic car outing. "Only flying is nicer": This slogan has now become a classic - just like the advertised car. Opel GT thrilled the public right from the start and is still one of the most coveted coupés in the world with its exciting "Coke Bottle Design". A total of 103,463 examples were built from 1968 to 1973. The 66 kW/90 hp red GT, which is starting in Oberursel, is the world's oldest existing GT.

Opel GT

Second version of the Opel Kadett GT/E was presented to the public for the first time at the IAA 1977 and was primarily intended to make entry into motorsport particularly easy. The competition vehicle, which was consistently trimmed for sporty use, still inspires enthusiasts today with its equipment from the two-liter engine with electronic fuel injection to the ZF five-speed gearbox and limited-slip differential to the sporty tuned and reinforced chassis. Eye-catching white and yellow paintwork was standard.

Opel Manta B GSi Exclusiv

Its enduring popularity ensures Opel Manta B a special place in the company's automotive history. No other model stayed on the market longer than the second generation Manta. Presented in autumn 1975, the sleek coupé rolls off the production line 557,940 times in 14 years. For many years, the Manta B was Germany's best-selling sports car. Special model Manta GSi Exclusiv refined by Irmscher puts the “shiny” crown on the Manta success story: with light alloy wheels in an exclusive design, three-part painted rear wing and round double headlights.

Opel Diplomat V8

Strongest model in the Opel field of participants in this year's Hessen-Thüringen Rally is the Opel Diplomat B V8 . With its 5.4-liter eight-cylinder engine (169 kW/230 hp), the long-wheelbase version of the Opel flagship reached speeds of around 200 km/h, making it one of the fastest touring sedans of its time. Diplomat also lives up to his name, as the vehicle was used by American President Gerald Ford on his state visit in 1975. Last, but not least, another state-of-the-art example completes the field: the Kadett GSi , painted metallic black with 85 kW/115 hp was purchased in 1991 by none other than former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who used the car for five years for private trips together with his wife Loki. Opel Kadett GSi was able to reach the then prestigious mark of 200 km/h top speed not least because of its aerodynamic qualities with a trailblazing drag coefficient of 0.30.

Opel Kadett E GSi

Compact class fit for the future: All-new Opel Astra as a plug-in hybrid

Last Kadett generation already showed what the compact class from Opel has always been able to do. Innovations and state-of-the-art technologies in models that customers otherwise only know from higher vehicle classes - Opel has remained true to this credo to this day. This also applies to the latest compact class generation with the lightning bolt, which combines tradition with modernity: while the completely new Astra is reminiscent of earlier Opel icons with small visual reminiscences, it is also a highly modern design gem with an Opel Vizor and a fully digital Pure Panel. In addition, the newcomer, which has also been available from dealers for a month, is being driven electrified as the Astra Hybrid for the first timebefore. Plug-in hybrid provides a system output of 133 kW/180 hp and a strong maximum torque of 360 Newton meters (energy consumption according to WLTP: 1.1 l/100 km, CO 2 emissions 26-24 g/km; each combined ). Organizers of the Hessen-Thüringen Rally can cover up to 60 kilometers (according to WLTP ) emission-free with the Opel Astra Hybrid purely electrically.

All-New Opel Astra Hybrid

!NEW! Rallye Hessen-Thüringen: Opel Showcases its Rich Cabriolet Heritage

·         From 8/25 hp to Cascada: Lineup of convertibles spans 100 years of company history

·         Prominent contender: Opel VP Sales Peter Küspert in Super 6 Gläser cabriolet

·         Fast combination: Racing ace Joachim Winkelhock with Rekord C Deutsch cabriolet

Large convertible tradition: Opel shows on the Rallye Hessen-Thüringen open-air models from 100 years of company history.

The first Opel in 1899 – the Patent Motor Car “System Lutzmann” – was a convertible. While an open body was standard during the early days of automotive engineering, it later came to signify luxury and a chic lifestyle. At this year’s 22nd ADAC Opel Classic Hessen-Thüringen rallye, five classic Opel cabriolets and one current convertible model give an overview of the evolution of open-air driving. Opel Vice President Sales and Aftersales Peter Christian Küspert is participating in a strikingly beautiful Super 6 Gläser Cabriolet. The classic car rallye takes place from May 26 – 28 through the romantic Werratal region that straddles the former East-West German border. Classic and historic automobile and motorcycle owners have already been exploring the most beautiful areas in Hessen and Thuringia since 1995. The center of operations for the rallye that covers 350 kilometers is Hessen-Hotelpark Hohenroda.

History and modernity: Sportiness anno 1920 exudes the Opel 8/25 PS. Opel Cascada that accompanies the classic models during the historic car rallye through the Rhön Mountains and Thuringian Forest

Five open-air stars from Rüsselsheim are taking part in this year’s action. The Opel 8/25 PS from 1920 was a sporty tourer with four seats; the Super 6 Gläser Cabriolet from 1937 a premium-class, elegant, sporty two-seater. The 1950 Opel Olympia as a cabriolet sedan was a popular body variant, while the 1964 Rekord A and 1967 Rekord C were a case for the specialists: coachbuilder Deutsch transformed series production sedans into shapely convertibles. The Opel Cascada that accompanies the classic models during the historic car rallye through the Rhön Mountains and Thuringian Forest embodies the contemporary interpretation of the large, luxurious cabriolet with canvas roof and space for four people. 

The beginning was open

Opel’s tradition in open-body automobiles goes back to the brand’s beginnings: like all cars built at the dawn of the automobile age, the Opel Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann from 1899, followed traditional carriage design principles and had a body without an integral roof. 

Modern motor car anno 1920: Opel 8/25 PS with four seats and characteristically pointed front radiator .

When the Opel 8/25 hp with the characteristic V-shaped radiator front came onto the market 20 years later as an open, four-seat tourer, it was the epitome of the modern motor car. It had a canvas roof but no side windows; motorists in the post-World War I era wore season-appropriate weatherproof clothing. The Opel 8/25 hp four-cylinder engine delivered 25 hp at 1,600 rpm from 2-liter displacement, enough for a maximum speed of 65 km/h. Its model name reflected its tax class and output: according to the federal law introduced in 1906 that first regulated the taxation of automobiles, an “hp tax” was due per one-half liter displacement. 

As painted: In 1937 Opel 75th anniversary of the company, the Beautiful Super 6 Gläser Cabriolet 

In 1937, the company’s 75th anniversary, it presented the new Opel Super 6 featuring an advanced short-stroke 2.5-liter, overhead-valve, straight-six engine with 55 hp that already had a top speed of 115 km/h. A two and four-door sedan as well as a convertible version were available ex-works. Special wishes were fulfilled by coachbuilders such as Hebmüller, Autenrieth, Buhne, Deutsch and Gläser from Dresden, who designed a 2+2 seat, roadster-like convertible based on the Super 6 – open-air driving was now a luxury, no longer the norm. Whoever wants to ride in the Gläser cabriolet driven by Opel VP Sales Peter Christian Küspert better have some acrobatic skills: passengers climb into the rear jump seat over a small step on the side of the car.

Ex-works and per order

The 1950 Opel Olympia was a more comfortable ride. Abundantly adorned with chrome ornaments, it was a symbol of post-war rebuilding and the economic miracle. But as a cabrio-sedan it still wore pre-war fashion. Unlike a full convertible, this open-air model had fixed window frames that were connected to the windshield frame in front and that constituted the C-pillar in the rear. In between, the large roof rolled open, letting in light and air. In 1956, the last car with this design in the Olympia Rekord model line rolled off the assembly line in Rüsselsheim.

Chrome flashing: 1950 Opel Olympia convertible sedan - with fixed window frames and large rolling roof

Then it wasn’t until 1976 that Opel once again offered a convertible ex-works. In the 20 year interim, it was coachbuilders such as Karl Deutsch in Cologne who made the dream of Opel cabriolets come true. Upon request, Deutsch converted the Rekord A of 1963 into a cabrio, as it did the Rekord C in 1966. The entry-level price for a two-door Rekord C base model was 7,590 German marks, and the conversion cost another 4,000 marks. Deutsch’s exclusive creations remain attractive, special and rare, as only around 30 open-air Rekord A and B models were built. 

Case for the specialists: 1964 Opel Rekord A  - Fancy convertible built by coachbuilder Karl Deutsch

About 50 Rekord C and Commodore A – the Rekord’s sporty sister model – cabriolets were produced before the model change in 1972. The red Rekord C Deutsch cabriolet in the Opel Classic Collection is driven by former racing car driver, Opel DTM driver and brand ambassador Joachim Winkelhock.

Shapely transformed: In 1967 followed the convertible version of the Opel Rekord C made by Karl Deutsch 

Today the four-seat Cascada continues Opel’s nearly 120-year heritage of open-air driving. With the new Cascada, Opel offers a spacious four-seater with a high-quality soft-top otherwise only seen in selected premium brand vehicles. It features superior acoustic and thermal insulation for first-class, all-season driving comfort. The Opel Cascada is a seductive whirlwind with its top down and a quiet Gran Turismo when the top is up. It is a year-round cabriolet thanks to its sophisticated soft-top that opens in just 17 seconds while driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h – all for prices starting at just €26,650.